Statement: An instrument of "petty revenge" has been discovered for  the Azerbaijani policy of ethnic cleansing of Armenians of Artsakh

ArmInfo.An instrument of "petty revenge" has been discovered for the Azerbaijani policy of ethnic cleansing of Armenians of Artsakh. This is stated in the joint  statement of the Human Rights Defenders of the Republic of Armenia  and the Republic of Artsakh.

Thus, according to the source, the statement reads, in part:

"Yesterday at night, yet again the Azerbaijani side deliberately  stopped the operation of the only gas pipeline supplying gas from  Armenia to Artsakh.  The gas supply of Artsakh was disrupted for the  first time on March 8, due to an alleged accident, Afterwards, the  Azerbaijani side did not allow experts from Artsakh to approach the  area of the "accident", which was located under their (Azerbaijani)  control.  

From that moment on it has become obvious that the state policy of  Armenophobia of Azerbaijan had discovered yet another method to  pressure the Armenians of Artsakh.  The analysis of reliable facts  reveals that during the reconstruction works or under their guise,  the Azerbaijani side has installed a valve on the gas pipeline to  terrorize the peaceful population of Artsakh and to leave them  without heating, hot water, and other basic conditions necessary  especially during cold weather conditions, by closing it at any given  time.  

The gas supply that was restored on March 18 lasted less than 3 days.  In these severe winter weather conditions, children, older persons,  the sick and displaced persons of Artsakh are deprived of heating.  

People are facing undefinable difficulties. The humanitarian crisis  in Artsakh is ongoing.  

It is beyond doubt for us that the Azerbaijani side is deliberately  continuing the state policy of terrorizing and pressuring the  population of Artsakh. The goal is the same - annihilation and ethnic  cleansing of Artsakh from its indigenous Armenian population.  This  shameful "revenge" towards more than 100,000 Armenians is  unacceptable. This state policy best describes the false and empty  essence of the theses of "tolerance" declared by Azerbaijan.  

We strongly condemn this ongoing practice of ethnic hatred and  revenge by Azerbaijan towards the people of Artsakh.  

We call on international human rights organizations and actors to put  pressure on the Azerbaijani side in order to eliminate this gross and  continuous human rights violation," the Human Rights Defenders of  Armenia and Artsakh concluded.  

It should be noted that late on the evening of March 21, it became  known that the Azerbaijani side had cut off the gas supply to  Artsakh. " As a result of the direct intervention of the Azerbaijani  side, the gas supply to the Artsakh Republic was again disrupted. We  have sufficient grounds to claim that during the repair works of the  gas pipeline exploded on March 8, the Azerbaijani side installed a  valve, through which it disrupted the gas supply hours ago.  

Azerbaijan uses the unfavorable weather conditions to create  additional humanitarian problems for our population and makes a  criminal action.  The command of the Russian peacekeeping force  stationed in Artsakh was immediately informed about the situation,  together with which the Artsakh authorities are making appropriate  efforts to restore gas supply.  At the same time, we urge citizens to  use electricity as sparingly as possible to avoid possible power  outages," the Artsakh Information Headquarters said in a statement.